Palu
by SGFlutegirl
Summary: A global pandemic hits the Hawaiian Islands, and Steve's life is hanging by a thread. Danny/Steve


**Written for the 'Pandemic/Epidemic' square for my angst_bingo card, located at my LJ.**

**This was really hard to write. I've had this idea for awhile, but it was hard to execute. This deals with a global pandemic, and while it's not too graphic in explanation, it alludes to the fact that many people have died because of it.**

**This is a slash fic. If that's not your thing, you may not want to read. It is very mild though.**

**Beta'd by ranereins.**

**I don't own anything; just having fun.**

* * *

Palu

by: Flute

No one knew where or even how it started, but once it hit, there was no escape. The Super Flu, as it was dubbed, spread like wildfire across the globe. It presented like the flu and as long as the person was healthy, they survived. If the person was already sick, or was injured, or in some cases just weak from age, the disease would attack with a vengeance. There was about a twenty percent survival rate under those conditions, and that was with immediate medical care.

The problem with everyone getting sick is there was no one to provide immediate medical care. This led to many more deaths that could have been prevented.

The people of Hawaii thought they had escaped the outbreak. The governor had shut down all sea and airports. Unfortunately, it was too late.

Five-0 was already at the hospital when the Flu hit Oahu. Steve was fighting off an infection that had set in after being shot in a raid a few days before. He was moved into isolation, and with the heavy cocktail of antibiotics he was on, his doctor hoped that he was would be spared.

Danny, Chin and Kono stayed nearby, even after they were hit with the Flu. Danny pushed himself, even after the sickness took hold, and refused to leave Steve, even though he couldn't be in the same room with him.

It took three days before there were signs that the outbreak had passed. Chaos ensued shortly after, and as much as they didn't want to leave the hospital, Chin and Kono along with whatever police officers they could locate, went out into the streets to try and control the masses.

**H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50**

Danny refused to leave Steve, even when he couldn't get a hold of Rachel and Grace. He knew the statistics, and he knew that Grace had been healthy before the outbreak. Kono promised that she would find them, and make sure that Grace was okay.

He stood outside Steve's room, staring through the small window in the door. The worry was eating a hole into his stomach. Danny knew that Steve should have shown signs that he was getting better. It wasn't long before the doctor confirmed his worst nightmare. Steve had the Flu.

"I don't understand. I thought the isolation would have kept him from catching it."

"I'm sorry, but somehow, it got through. Since we still don't know how it is transmitted, there was no way for us to be sure this would work."

Danny nodded. "So, now what?"

"We are changing his antibiotics, and we'll continue to treat his symptoms. There isn't much else we can do."

Danny knew the statistics, but he had to ask the question. "What are his chances?"

The doctor sighed. "We're getting new information every day. I won't lie to you… it doesn't look good. He is strong, and he was healthy before his injury and the subsequent infection. I don't want you to give up hope, but with what we know now, he's probably got about a twenty percent chance of pulling through. I'm sorry… I wish I had better news for you."

Danny went to speak, but the words caught in his throat. The doctor, seeing his distress, placed his hand on Danny's shoulder and squeezed.

"You can go in and see him now. Stay as long as you want. Talk to him… let him know that you're there."

Danny nodded again, unable to speak. He waited till the doctor was gone before pulling out his cell phone. He tried calling Chin, but he couldn't get through. He got the same result when he tried Kono. He tried once more to call Rachel, but again, it didn't go through. There were too many people trying to make calls and the circuits were busy. He stuffed his phone back in his pocket and then opened the door to Steve's room.

The only sign that Steve was alive was the beeping of the heart monitor. Danny walked up to the bed and looked down at his ill partner. He was deathly pale except for the flush of fever on his cheeks. The sheet was pulled up to his waist, just below the bandages that covered the gunshot wound. He had a couple of IVs and a nasal cannula. At least he was breathing on his own.

Danny reached his hand out and laid it on Steve's forehead. Heat was radiating off of him, and Danny nearly pulled his hand back at the shock of it. Instead, he brushed his fingers through Steve's hair. After a few moments, he sat down in the chair next to the bed. He reached through the rails and took hold of Steve's hand. He squeezed it, and then sat there quietly for what seemed like hours.

"Danny."

Danny startled awake. "Oh, hey doc. I must have fallen asleep."

"It's all right. I was just checking on my patient here."

"Has there been any change?"

"Nothing yet. He's holding his own."

"Thanks… for everything," Danny said, and shook the doctor's hand.

Once the doctor had left again, Danny turned back to Steve. He grabbed Steve's hand again, and this time he couldn't be quiet.

"Babe… It's time to wake up now. You've been asleep long enough. You're scaring the crap out of me, and…"

He started to choke up, and had to stop for a few minutes. Once he had composed himself, he continued.

"Damnit, Steve! You stupid, idiot, Neanderthal! If you'd waited for me, we wouldn't be in this mess to begin with. We'd be out there with Chin and Kono trying to contain the shit storm that has developed. The damn world has gone to hell and you've slept through the whole thing… Just, don't go, okay. I need you. You're too strong to let this fucking flu get the best of you. So, you fight."

He paused long enough to take a few deep breaths.

"Please…"

Danny stopped when he felt Steve squeeze his hand. It was quick and it didn't have a lot of strength behind it, but there was no doubt that it had happened.

"Steve, babe. If you can hear me, please, squeeze my hand again."

Danny waited for a few moments, and was about to give up, when Steve squeezed his hand again. This time, though, he didn't let go.

Danny pressed the call button next to the bed, as tears began to spill from his eyes.

**H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50**

Twelve hours later, Steve's fever broke. He hadn't woken up though, and that had Danny worried. The doctor kept assuring him that Steve would wake up when he was ready. He was still very weak, and he just needed time.

Danny tried his phone again, and still nothing. Since he knew that Steve was going to be okay, he decided that he had to go. He had to find Grace; to see if she was okay. He stood from his chair, and bent down over Steve, placing a kiss on his forehead.

"Babe, I need to go for a little while. I'll be back as soon as I can."

He turned toward the door and took a few steps before the door opened. Standing on the other side was Kono, and right behind her was Grace. As soon as Grace saw him, she pushed past Kono and ran into his waiting arms.

"Danno!"

"Oh, Monkey!"

He lifted her into his arms and hugged her close. He looked over at Kono and mouthed 'Thank you' to her. She smiled, closing the door behind her. She walked toward Steve's bed.

"Danno, I was so scared. We all got really sick, but we're okay now. Auntie Kono told me you were okay, but I wanted to see for myself. You are okay, right Danno?"

Danny smiled. "I am now."

He finally got a good look at her. She looked tired and had dark circles under her eyes. Otherwise, she looked healthy, and he couldn't be more happy.

He walked back over to the bed and sat back down in the chair. Grace settled into his lap.

"Is Uncle Steve going to be okay?"

"He's going to be fine. His fever went away a few hours ago, and he's just sleeping now."

Kono was standing on the other side of the bed. She reached down and grabbed Steve's hand.

"We're all okay, Boss. Hurry up and come back to us."

Danny looked up at Kono and asked, "Where's Chin? I've kind of lost track of what was going on outside."

"He's over at HPD trying to get things back up and running. It's not as bad out there as it was made out to be. There are a lot of scared people. It'll probably be at least another week before clean-up is finished."

"Clean-up?"

She looked down at Grace. "Later."

He nodded, and then dropped a kiss onto the top of Grace's head.

**H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50**

It was another couple of hours before there was any change in Steve's condition. Grace had fallen asleep in Danny's lap, holding on to Steve's hand. Both he and Kono had dozed off in their chairs.

Grace suddenly came awake, and jarred Danny from his sleep.

"Grace, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, its Uncle Steve!"

Steve had closed his hand around hers and was holding on to it.

"Steve?"

He groaned and turned his head toward them. He slowly blinked his eyes a couple of times before opening them.

"Uncle Steve!"

"Gracie… Danno…"

Danny smiled, and for the first time in weeks, he relaxed.


End file.
